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Centrifugal Pumps Design and Application 2nd ed - Val S. Lobanoff, Robert R. Ross (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1992)

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Mechanical Seals 395<br />

The measur<strong>ed</strong> leakage from each end of this horizontal pump was 10 to<br />

120 ppm. This installation is a rotating seal head with a tungsten carbide<br />

insert running on a silicon carbide mating ring. A steam quench is being<br />

us<strong>ed</strong> on the atmospheric side of the seal.<br />

Hydropads are also us<strong>ed</strong> to aid the lubrication process on the refinery<br />

application shown in Figure 17-32. The pump is us<strong>ed</strong> in a hydrofluoric<br />

alkylation unit to move hydrofluoric acid. To protect the sealing system,<br />

a clean injection of isobutane is flush<strong>ed</strong> in at the seal faces. The original<br />

seals experienc<strong>ed</strong> short seal life due to chemical attack from the hydrofluoric<br />

acid. The operating conditions for this application are:<br />

• Liquid seal<strong>ed</strong>: isobutane/hydrofluoric acid<br />

» Stuffing box pressure: 240 psig<br />

• Temperature: 89°F<br />

• Specific gravity: 0,945<br />

• Spe<strong>ed</strong>: llSOrpm<br />

» Seal size: 3.5 inches<br />

This hydropadd<strong>ed</strong> seal has add<strong>ed</strong> years to the service life of the unit,<br />

The materials of construction for the seal faces are solid silicon carbide<br />

running on solid silicon carbide. This material combination was select<strong>ed</strong><br />

for its excellent corrosion resistance to hydrofluoric acid, because corrosion<br />

is a common cause for seal failure on these types of applications.<br />

Hydropads or lubrication recesses when properly appli<strong>ed</strong> will result in<br />

improv<strong>ed</strong> seal life. This design feature is the first step in the process of<br />

advancement to non-contacting seals.<br />

Figure 17-32. Mechanical seal installation for refinery HF Alkylation Unit (courtesy<br />

John Crane).

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